Phil Egan formally pleads not guilty to 70 fraud charges
Phil Egan has been committed to face a weeks-long County Court trial over allegations he “secretly gained” almost $780k through fake invoices.
Police & Courts
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Hawks racism report scribe and ex-Richmond player Phil Egan has been committed to face a weeks-long County Court trial over an alleged $800k fraud against the Indigenous organisation he led.
Following a four-day hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, Egan formally pleaded not guilty on Thursday and was ordered to face a jury in a higher court.
The 61-year-old now faces 70 charges over allegations he “secretly gained” almost $780k through fake invoices paid by Robinvale’s Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-Operation while he was chief executive.
He originally faced 73 charges, but three offences were struck out by barrister Peter Pickering, for the Office of Public Prosecutions, on Thursday.
Mr Egan, sitting in the front row of court eight, was ordered to his feet and asked if his plea would be the same to all 70 charges.
“Yes, Your Honour,” he told Magistrate Malcolm Thomas.
“Not guilty.”
Mr Thomas found every one of the charges faced by Mr Egan were indictable, or serious enough to be put before a jury in a County Court trial.
His Honour said after considering the evidence, he was satisfied a properly instructed jury could convict him on all 70 charges.
Mr Egan’s top defence team, led by accused mushroom murderer Erin Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy SC, quizzed witnesses for four days over the running of the Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-Operation.
While the hearing was open to the public, a refusal by Magistrate Thomas to publicly release documents that were the basis of the witnesses’ evidence hampered media reporting of the matter.
Mr Thomas’ decision came after Mr Mandy made submissions that releasing the court material could lead to sub judice and prejudice his client.
A future trial over the fraud allegations is set to run for about three weeks.
Mr Egan, who wrote the explosive 2022 report into racism allegations at Hawthorn, will return to the County Court at a later date.
Former star Hawk Cyril Rioli last week launched Federal Court action against the club.
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